A study on the grooving process of a cross-scored rupture disc

Abstract

High-pressure facilities such as pressure vessels and storage equipment are widely used in all areas of manufacturing. Although many safety regulations have been enacted, mechanical defects and system operator errors sometimes cause industrial disasters. Since industrial disasters at high-pressure facilities cause greater loss of life and property, the installation of pressure-relief devices is mandatory. A rupture disc (also known as a bursting disc) is a type of non-reclosing pressure-relief device, equipped with a leak-tight seal. It is designed to prevent disasters and damage to equipment by immediate, complete rupture when the internal pressure of the plumbing reaches a predetermined level. Various types of rupture discs are cross-scored, and are activated by the reversal of a dome shape and pressure load. They are designed with an X-shaped groove on their surfaces to facilitate bursting without fragmentation. In this research, the processing characteristics of the grooving process, one of the major processes in the production of a cross-scored rupture disc, are investigated via experiments and finite element analysis (FEA) to obtain a design basis for cross-scored rupture discs required by high-pressure facilities with varying kinds of performance. The mechanical properties and chemical composition of the stainless steel used to produce cross-scored rupture discs are determined with a tensile testing machine and an electron microscope. The characteristics of the grooving process are then measured and compared with FEA results.